Three Rules dominates
HALLANDALE BEACH — Once again, Three Rules ruled.
The 2-year-old colt handed in another impressive victory Saturday at Gulfstream Park, easily capturing the $300,000 Affirmed Stakes, the second leg of the open division of the Florida Sire Stakes series. Three Rules pulled away effortlessly frompacesetterHerecomesthedude in the turn and stormed home to a 5 1/2-length win in a stakesrecord time of 1:23.89.
Three Rules’ performance was only matched on the day by Cajun Delta Dawn, who dominated the $300,000 Susan’s Girl Stakes in the mirror race for fillies. Both horses are now 4 for 4 lifetime, and each will try to complete the three-race series sweep on Oct. 1.
Breaking from the outside post, jockey Cornelio Velasquez sent Three Rules with Herecomesthedude who was just to his inside. In the turn, the son of Gone Astray separated himself from the rest of the field seamlessly, with Velasquez needing to tap his mount a few times in the stretch just to keep his focus.
Trainer Jose Pinchin, who also saddled second place finisherFrontLoaded, said that he had fewworries watching the race unfold.
“He was in total control of the race from when he broke,” he said. “Anytime he wanted to go he could have gone.”
The manner in which Three Rules has won each of his starts should earnhim earlyKentucky Derby buzz.
Pinchin admitted to mounting pressure with every outstanding performance, but the veteran South Floridaconditionerisenjoying watching his pupil accomplish something special.
“From the first time I breezed him I said he was the best horse I had ever seen,” Pinchin said.
Under veteran jockey Juan Leyva, Cajun Delta Dawn handed in her most impressive performance to date with her Susan’s Girl win. Breaking from the inside stall, she led favorite Sweet Tooth Haven and rival Lu Lu Laura out to an opening quarter mile in 22.24 seconds.
Cajun Delta Dawn comfortably hugged the rail through the turn as Lu Lu Laura backed out. At the top of the stretch, she easily dispatchedSweetToothHaven under steady urging from Leyva and drew off formidably to a five-length win, covering the 7 furlongs in 1:24.91.
Trainer David Fawkes said he left it up to Leyva to determine how the race would be ridden.
“He’s ridden her four times and he has won four times. What am I going to tell him?” Fawkes said. “He knows her better than I do.”
Two other races for 3-year-olds rounded out the Sire Stakes offerings Saturday with each also contested at 7 furlongs. In the $150,000 Jewel Princess Stakes, favorite R Kinsley Doll ran down pacesetter Ballet Diva in deep stretch to prevail by a neck. The counterpart $150,000 PrizedStakes sawAwesome Banner atone for his narrow defeat in the Unbridled Stakes in August by getting his head past pacesetter Mr. Kisses for the win.
The card also featured a pair of $75,000 turf stakes, both at1 miles. In theVid Stakes, 15-1 long shot Diamond Bachelor led from gate to wire while Pink Poppy stalked the earlypace set by First Illusion before pushing to the lead at the head of the stretch and holding on to win the WastedTears Stakes.